Heart-warming Venison Stew (approx. for two) with Jukes 6

Each month, Matthew Jukes gives you a simple but stunning starter or main course recipe to serve with either Jukes 1, 6 or 2.  

This month is a heart-warming Venison Stew (approx. for two) with Jukes 6.

Ingredients - Heart-warming Venison Stew

500g of diced Venison

1 Onion sliced 

1 large clove of Garlic finely sliced

1 or 2 two red Peppers, depending on size, sliced (I prefer the Romano ‘pointy’ peppers)

1 Carrot chopped into 1cm cubes

1 large stick of Celery finely sliced 

200ml of Beef stock (or chicken if you wish) 

Olive oil – several tablespoons

1 Star anise

1 handful of Flat-leaf parsley coarsely chopped

1 small glass of Red wine (optional)

Salt and Pepper

 

Method - Ensure that the venison is room temperature before you start cooking.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based casserole dish with a lid.  Season the venison with salt and pepper and then brown the venison until it is sealed on all sides and then spoon it out of the dish and keep it to one side.

Gently fry the celery, onion, carrots until they are soft with the star anise. Add the garlic and peppers and fry a little longer until they are starting to soften. 

Then add the venison and fry all of the ingredients together for a few minutes. 

Pour in the glass of wine and let the wine bubble away and reduce, then add 150ml of beef stock and simmer gently, on a low heat, for 1.5 hours or until tender.  Keep the lid tilted open on the pot so there is a small gap.

Keep an eye on the beef and top it up with the remaining stock or water if necessary. 

Adjust the seasoning to your tastes and then lift out the star anise and dispose of it. 

Finish with chopped parsley and serve with baked or mashed potato and steamed seasonal veg, like sprout tops.